We’ve all been there—you buy a new skin care product only to use it a few times before the novelty wears off. It shuffles to the back of your cupboard or the bottom of your drawer, where it gathers dust. One day, as you sort through your things, you discover it again. Then the inevitable questions arise. Running out of skin care? Is it still safe to use?
Read on to learn all about skincare expiration dates, including how to read dates and symbols, how to tell if a product is past its prime, and how to extend the life of your favorite formulas.
How to read expiration dates on skin care products
The first thing to know is that skin care products are classified as cosmetics by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — not drugs. This means that companies in the US (and Canada) are not required by law to display expiration dates on their products.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, and one is sunscreen, which is considered a drug since it serves a medical purpose. According to the FDA, sunscreen must have an expiration date on the package—unless it has been proven to stay stable for up to three years. Because sunscreen is critical to maintaining skin health, it’s important to follow sunscreen expiration dates carefully. If your sunscreen doesn’t have an expiration date, use it or throw it away after three years.
For brands that indicate the shelf life of a skin care product, you can find a symbol on the packaging. There are two main symbols used to indicate how long a skin care product will last. Both symbols are required in the European Union (EU)but some companies in the US choose to include them in their packaging as well, especially if they sell their products in Europe.
- Period After Opening (PAO): This symbol tells you how long a product will stay good after opening. It looks like a small open jar with a number followed by either the word “months” or the letter “M”. For example, ’18M’ indicates that the product will remain good for one and a half years once opened.
- Best Before End Of (BBE): This symbol tells you the date by which a product should be used, just like the expiry dates on our food. It looks like a small hourglass followed by a date. It is a calculated date carried out through stability tests that mimics all the conditions a product can go through during its aging process.
The challenge with obscure termination symbols like the PAO symbol (and the reason I’m not always a fan) is that there’s no way they can be 100% accurate. For example, storage conditions play a big role. Did you leave the lid open? Was it exposed to direct sunlight? Did you keep it in your car? All of these things could potentially cause a product to expire faster than the PAO symbol initially indicates.
Or maybe you left it closed, stored it in a dark, cool place and never got around to using it in your skincare routine. In that case, it could (potentially) still be good.
Because of variables like this, you cannot fully rely on these symbols. To tell if a product has gone bad, I prefer to use common sense and personal judgment, inspect a product for visible or olfactory changes.
How to tell if a skincare product has expired
Regardless of whether it has an expiration date or a symbol on the package, it’s important to know that they don’t last forever. Most skin care products are guaranteed to be safe and fresh for two years, although some can last up to three years and others may last less (especially if they are organic). With all this variation, how can you tell if a skincare product has truly expired? Here are the steps you can take to find out.
- Check for Expiry Date: The first and most obvious step is to check for a date or expiration symbol, although as I already mentioned, not all containers will have one, nor can you safely rely on them. If a product has, however, it can give you an idea of its current status. Regardless, proceed to step two.
- Change in consistency: It’s time to consider consistency. Is it thinner than it was when you first opened it? Are the ingredients separated? Does it grow mold? Yes. If so, throw it away.
- Change in color: After checking the consistency of the product, check its color. Has the color changed, such as from white to yellow or light brown? This is especially common with L-ascorbic acid, a notoriously unstable one form of vitamin C. If so, get rid of it.
- Change in scent: The last control point is the aroma. Does the product smell different than when you bought it? Does it smell tangy or just, well, not pleasant? If so, it’s time to wipe it down.
What happens if you use expired skin care?
Fortunately, most reliable skin care products use a strong preservative system to ensure they won’t become unsafe to use, even if you use them past their expiration date or the typical two-year period.
“Natural” or “organic” products that contain natural ingredients and do not use preservatives are the exception. These can grow mold or bacteria, which you definitely don’t want to introduce to your skin.
In general, the biggest problem you will face when using expired skin care products is loss of effectiveness. The extent to which this occurs depends on the product. I will use unstable forms of vitamin C for example. These unstable forms, such as pure ascorbic or L-ascorbic acids, can oxidize quite quickly after being exposed to air. Once this happens, they no longer offer the same antioxidant effect, meaning your skin receives much less benefit. The same applies to products containing enzymes. Over time, they may become inactive or degrade.
In addition to risking loss of effectiveness, you could also risk exposure to free radicals when using rancid products. When oils and active ingredients oxidize, they are created Free Radicalsso they could actually do more harm than good!
Well-formulated products also use pH adjusters to keep them stable, but these can wear off after a while, resulting in changes in pH levels. This can increase the risk of irritation or simply make it less effective.
All things considered, I recommend using a product within 12 to 18 months of opening for maximum results (and to get the most bang for your buck).
How to get the most life out of your skincare products
That serum in the back corner of your cupboard might not last forever, but I’ve got some tips and tricks to make it last as long as possible. Here it is, from me to you!
Write the Purchase Date on the bottom of the product
Whether or not the package includes a PAO symbol, the difficulty is remembering when you opened it. What good is knowing something will last 18 months after opening if you’re not sure when you opened it? Writing the date at the bottom is a foolproof way to remember and track a product’s effectiveness.
Keep them away from light
This definitely helps preserve your products for longer, as many active ingredients can be compromised by direct exposure to light. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep them in a drawer or cabinet.
Wash your hands before dipping your fingers into a jar
Most skin care products should be formulated with a strong preservative system, so you don’t have to worry about using your fingers to pick a cream or mask out of a jar (you really don’t need those skin care spatulas that have become so popular) . That said, it’s always a good idea to make sure your hands are clean first, so take the time to wash them.
Keep the lids tightly closed
It is a fact that air can break down the active ingredients faster, so make sure the caps stay tightly closed.
Optional: Refrigerate your skincare products
If you don’t use something on a regular basis but still want it to last, you can always store it in the fridge. This can help keep it fresh. Learn more about which one products are best kept in the refrigerator.
Remember, it is best to use a product within 12 to 18 months of opening, as this ensures it is still safe and effective. If you haven’t used a product and are wondering if it has expired, I urge you to think about WHY you aren’t using it. If it’s not right for you Skin type, don’t force it! Give it to a friend or family member or donate it.
Celebrity Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real solution — products designed to nine different skin types so your face will have exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare enthusiasts around the world, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research is why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin professional we know.”
